Footsteps
by Libster-1
Summary: What if the kiss between Chloe and Clark had meant more than either of them had let on? Neither of them want to destroy a friendship, but what if someone else has other ideas? Chlark, Lexana,
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I have a fast approaching deadline for an assignment I cannot do, but I do not own Smallville.

A/N: This is set after Zod's defeat. In series 6, I believe. Any and all feedback welcome.

Clark ran from the hospital and back to Chloe. His mother and Lois were safe and Lana had Lex back. Now all he needed was to get back to Metropolis to check that his friend, his best friend, was safe. He had to know that she had survived and what she had meant by that kiss. Clark found her at the Daily Planet offices; it figured the reporter would stay at work during the apocalypse. Clark walked up to her and gave her a hug before she could do anything. She was okay.

"Clark. Oh my God. I thought were dead," said Chloe.

"Hi. Um...so did I... for a while there."

"What happened? Where did you go?"

"A place I never want to go again. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Everything's great now that you're here," Chloe sighed.

"Um... Chloe... before I left," said Clark" "... there was this moment that we, um..."

"You mean when I laid one on you?" smiled Chloe. "Don't worry, Clark. It was the end of the world. It's not like I'm expecting us to hook up."

Clark considered his answer carefully. He was finding Chloe hard to resist at the moment. Perhaps she was right. It was just the intensity of the apocalypse. "Um... yeah, me -- me neither. Strictly friends."

"So…," said Chloe, slightly nervously, "how is everyone else?"

"Erm… you should probably grab on, you should come back with me. Lois is in the hospital, the plane that she and mom were on fell from the sky, I don't know what happened."

"Oh, God" Chloe said as she gripped on to Clark. He ran her over to the hospital so that she could see her cousin.

Chloe stayed in the room with Lois until the Doctors told her that she had to leave. Lois was fine really. Just a little head rush from her apparent trip to the heavens. Chloe had to laugh at the description. Though she supposed the 'Fortress of Solitude' was rather beautiful, she hadn't really ever thought of it as heavenly. Then again, she had only ever been there when she was freezing to death. Perhaps she had never taken the time to look properly.

After their decision to leave their friendship as it was, nothing more, Chloe and Clark tried hard to forget their intimate moment. It wasn't that difficult really, they'd been practicing since elementary school, or at least Chloe had. On the surface both of their lives returned to the status quo. Clark was still angry that Lana was with Lex, he was angrier still when he found out they were getting married and Lana was to have Lex's child. Chloe returned to her secret pining for Clark to notice her. What neither of them seemed to notice, were the stolen glances they took of each other. Clark always waited that extra beat to announce his arrival in a room with Chloe. Chloe's gaze into Clark's eye lasted a microsecond longer than a friend's should. Perhaps they noticed, perhaps they didn't, but neither was willing to risk a friendship on the chance that the other would be willing to return their affections. It took until Valentine's Day for them to look at their relationship and their true feelings and not without a little push in the right direction from a mutual friend.


	2. Chapter 2

VALENTINES DAY

Lois had called Chloe late last night, bored and down in the dumps. She was taking the loss of Oliver particularly hard and wanted some cheering up on the sickening day that was the 14th of February. She and Chloe decided to go to Metropolis for the day. They had a great time shopping, trying on all the dresses that were far too much for them to afford. In particular, Chloe had seen a mid-thigh length Gucci dress. It was blood red in colour and had a halter-tie neck. When she tried it on she felt like a princess but it was about a thousand dollars more than her monthly rent so she had had to return it to the rack. That was the problem, she supposed with trying on designer labels. She emerged from the changing rooms and took her bag back off Lois, who was smirking.

"What's up with you, Lois? You look like you're doing an impression of the Cheshire Cat!"

"Nothing, Chloe. Do you fancy a quick coffee at the Talon? I don't think I want to go back home and face all those terrible Chick-flicks they insist on showing on Valentine's night"

"Okay, I think my caffeine levels are dipping dangerously close to healthy!" laughed Chloe.

Chloe and Lois entered the Talon and saw what looked like an invasion of cupid's. There was even some daft woman selling Love Potions for heaven's sake.

"Oh Lois, I'm sorry, I didn't realise there would be so much tacky decoration around here" apologised Chloe. But before she could finish the sentiment Lois had disappeared into the crowd. Chloe was stood there feeling rather awkward on her own. Suddenly from behind her loomed the figure of Clark.

"I got you message," he told Chloe.

"What message?" she asked.

"The text message you sent, telling me that you wanted to meet me at the Talon at 8pm." He replied. He saw her blank look. "You never sent me a message did you?"

"No, but Lois had my bag when I was trying on clothes in Gucci," Clark gave her a puzzled look, "long story, I tell you in minute, just let me find my cousin and kill her. I think she thinks she's being funny, setting us up or something."

"Tell you what," suggested Clark, "why don't we have a cup of caffeine, you look like you missed your four o'clock cup, and then we both kill Lois in the morning, when we've had a chance to plan it properly."

"Fine," said Chloe, "but if she escapes, then it's you who's gonna get it, superboy or not!"

Chloe went up to the counter to get their orders, while Clark tried to find a table in the throng. Clark had offered to get the drinks, but she knew that even though he had a great memory, he always managed to stuff up her order. Perhaps he left out the two extra shots to give her heart a rest, but she was not in the mood for weak coffee this evening.

Chloe got to the front of the crowd at the counter and placed her order to an unfamiliar waitress. Either she was new, or Chloe was spending far too little time in the coffee shop these days. While she waited for the coffee to come, she saw the woman at the far end of the counter selling love potions. The woman caught her eye and beckoned her to come down to her stand. Chloe wasn't really sure why she went but it seemed like the thing to do.

"Unrequited love" said the woman. It was more of a statement than a question. Chloe shifted nervously and unconsciously looked over her shoulder towards Clark. "I have just the thing." The woman pulled out a tube of lipstick. "All you need to do it add a bit of colour," said the woman. "There's nothing like a little red lipstick to give a woman a little courage in love"

Chloe couldn't say what made her do it, there was something in the words of the woman which made her trust her. She took the lipstick and applied it to her lips. She smudged them together and her lips glowed red. It was like a rush of relief. Chloe knew nothing else mattered, all she needed to do was show Clark how much she wanted him, needed him and he would be hers. She handed over the money for the lipstick and the coffee and carried the cups, which had just arrived, to Clark at a small table in the window.

Clark watched Chloe walk over to him, if he didn't know better he could have sworn she winked at him. He dismissed it as a trick of the light. She sat down beside him and handed him his coffee. She picked up one of the stirring sticks and began to swirl it idly in the cup. Then she used it to scoop some of the foam from the top and she licked it off with the tip of her tongue. Clark watched this and asked "Chloe what are you doing?"

"Sorry," she said, "I just like the foam on the top of the coffee."

"Oh, right," said Clark, puzzled at this revelation. "So you were telling me you were shopping in Gucci. I didn't realise you had won the Lotto?" asked Clark.

"Ah, that, said Chloe. "Well, sometimes it's just nice to go into one of those shops and be pampered. They give you your own personal stylist in there you know. I found this perfect little red dress, you would have loved it, it showed off all the right curves."

Chloe took a sip out of her cup and Clark looked at her. There was something wrong. For one thing, Chloe had yet to mention the absurdity of being set up on a blind date, there was no further mention of Lois's punishment and was that red lipstick she was wearing. Something was obviously wrong. Chloe looked up at Clark.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"No, nothing," he replied. Chloe moved her hand from around her cup and onto her leg.

"It doesn't look like nothing." She said as her hand moved onto his thigh. "Are you sure it's nothing I can help you with?" she asked as her had slid up his leg.

"No, no Chloe," said Clark nervously. "I think we should get you home. You don't seem to be yourself this evening. I need to get home anyway, I have chores to do in the morning." Chloe looked as though he had hit her with a sledgehammer. He was turning her down. _Fine, _she thought she was just going to have to put a lot more effort into it tomorrow. She was not about to let Clark go. Not this time.


	3. Chapter 3

PLANS

Clark left Chloe at her flat and returned home to the farm. He couldn't understand what had made her act this way. The last time she had come on to his was… That was it, back in High School she had become infatuation with him because of the love potion the cheerleaders had made for the football stars, the one that had made him sick, the one that was made from kryptonite. That had to be it. There had been someone there selling love potion in the coffee and she had taken a sip and then fallen for him. But that wasn't right was it. She had been acting strange since she got to the table, she hadn't drank any of her coffee until well after she had sat down. The only other thing about her that had changed was the lipstick. The red lipstick. What if it had red kryptonite in it, to make the wearer lose their inhibitions. That would explain Chloe's more relaxed, borderline sluttish, behaviour. Clark resolved that in the morning he would get up early, finish his chores at lightning speed and then head in to town to find the cure to the effects of the love spell. He needed his Chloe back before something dreadful happened.

Clark got up at six the following morning and by nine, he had finished his chores and made breakfast for his mother and himself. At nine o'clock Clark went into town. He found the herbalist shop in one of the back alleys he had never ventured down before. He arrived as the woman was opening up. He walked straight up to the counter.

"What did you do to my friend?" he demanded. The woman stared at him blankly. "My friend, Chloe, was at the Talon last night. She went up to the counter to get some coffee, the next thing I know she comes to our table, carrying two cups of coffee and starts coming on to me. What did you do to her?"

"Ah!" said the woman, "so you are the object of her affections. I must say she has good taste. I didn't do anything to, Chloe, that she did not want for herself. I merely helped her overcome certain obstacles."

"You dosed her with red meteor rock," said Clark. "She may want these things, deep in her subconscious, but she could end up destroying her life before she finds what she's looking for. Believe me I know."

"Fine," the woman said, though she looked disappointed. "The antidote." She pulled a small perfume bottle from the shelf behind her and placed it on the counter. Clark looked at the bottle and felt the effects of its green meteor rock contents. "That will be $12.50."

Clark looked up, he knew there was no way he could get close to Chloe carrying this. It would kill him before he got the chance. He needed to get the lead box from home. "Okay, but I have to get my wallet," said Clark, patting his pockets. "I must have left it in my truck."

Clark walked out of the shop and sped home. He picked up the lead box off his shelf and took out the green meteor rock. The effects were immediate. He felt weak and clumsy. The rock lay on the floor of the barn and Clark struggled to walk out. Once he was out of the range of the radiation, he was back to full strength and he sped back to the store. He paid for the vial and asked the woman to place the bottle in the box. She did so, but looked puzzled as to the need for a lead box.

Right, thought Clark, it's time to find Chloe. The only thing Clark could reasonably hope for was that the effects of the love potion hadn't intensified. Sadly, that was not the case. Clark tried all the obvious place's first, the Daily Planet, Lois's, the Talon and finally her apartment. He actually hoped she wouldn't be in her apartment. At least in a public or semi-public place she wasn't liable to jump him. He remembered the last time, he had come home and gone up into the barn to find Chloe in his football shirt, ONLY his football shirt. She had been hard to resist then. But now… One kiss from those lips and he would be affected as well. If he was infected by the red kryptonite then he had no trouble believing that Kal would return Chloe's affections. He couldn't do that to Chloe. They had promised to remain friends, how could he lead her on, again, and break her heart, again. Clark knocked on the door, thinking it better to wait for her to answer, rather than burst in on whatever it was she was doing in there. He had to be strong, thought Clark, and he had to… to…

Chloe answered the door wearing, well, very little at all. She had a black corset set of lingerie, a black silk dressing gown and black stiletto shoes. The room was dark, due to the blackout curtains that hung at the windows and there were unlit candles standing on every free surface in the place.

"Clark" she scolded. "Oh, damn it Clark, you ruined the surprise. I was going to light the candles and everything. What are you doing here?"

"Chloe," said Clark as he backed away from her and into the middle of the room. "Chloe, you've been dosed with red meteor rock and this love potion mix, you know the lady from the Talon, she gave you that lipstick you're wearing. Well you're not being yourself, well, I mean, you are but you just have none of your inhibitions. So anyway, I have the antidote for you, to get you back to normal Chloe, to a fully clothed Chloe…" Clark was babbling. He was trying his hardest to both stay as far away as possible from Chloe, whilst not looking directly at her. He wasn't fairing too well, especially as he kept backing into things and had to catch them before they fell.

"But Clark," argued Chloe. "I am the real me. I'm the same girl who has been in love with you since the eighth grade. I'm the same girl who went to a dance with you to be cast aside for Lana. I'm the same girl, who when she thought she was going to die, kissed you because she wanted the last thing she tasted to be you. The same girl who told you she didn't want a relationship in case you didn't feel the same and I lost you." Chloe was advancing on Clark, he had nowhere left to run and to be honest he wasn't sure he wanted to. "The only difference, Clark," said Chloe as she back Clark against a wall, "is that now" she pulled his head towards her by his collar, "I'm not afraid."

Chloe lifted her head as she pulled Clark in that little bit further. As their lips grazed each other's Chloe slammed herself against Clark. They parted for a brief moment, and Chloe watched as Clarks eye's flashed red. Kal was free. He pulled Chloe close and kissed her back, deeply. He turned her around and used one hand to pin her to the wall and a second to lift her to his waist. She fastened her legs around his hips and they moved rhythmically up against the wall. The lead box fell to the floor, next to Chloe's bag, forgotten about. Clark released Chloe from the wall.

"It's a shame," she said, "the mood would have been so much better if I had had a chance to light the candles."

"I think I can manage that," said Clark as he removed his plaid shirt. Kal hated plaid. Clark used his heat vision and lit the 40 or so candles around the room.

Chloe had moved towards the bedroom. Clark followed her, snaking his hands around her hips.

"Better?" he asked as he moved his hand up her sides and rested them on her shoulders.

"Much…" she replied as he removed the silk dressing gown. She turned and grabbed his hand, leading him to her bed. She crawled to the middle and invited Clark to join her. He readily accepted, removing his t-shirt as he straddled her. He leant over her and plastered kisses from her neck down to between her breasts.

Chloe moved under him and pushed him back up with one hand. He looked down at her as she tried to sit up. "Are you sure this is real?" she asked.

"Oh, this couldn't be more real," came an off-handed reply as he went in for another kiss. Chloe moved her head to stop him.

"I mean, you go from backing away and telling me you can cure me to being really in to me. What changed?"

"Well, Chloe, I don't know whether you know this, but… you look really hot in that outfit. I'm not sure any man could resist you for long. I think, when you kissed me, you opened my eyes. I finally saw who was standing in front of me, the woman of my dreams, masquerading as my best friend."

That was obviously the answer, which Chloe was waiting for. She grinned widely and leant up to kiss Clark again. His hands were exploring her body, as she lay back on the bed. He leant down to her ear and whispered, "I have a surprise for you!"

Chloe was about to ask what, but before she could, Clark had super-sped away. She got up off the bed, looking for Clark, feeling the mood had rather been eroded. She looked at her front door, which was now hanging wide open, daylight streaming in. She moved over to the front door and was about to close it, when there was a blur and a gust of wind. Clark was back. He was dressed differently too. He was now wearing black jeans, a dark navy shirt and a leather jacket. He looked incredibly handsome.

"Sorry, it took me so long, but I have a present for you." Clark held out a box for Chloe, with the word Gucci embossed on the top. She removed the lid and saw the most beautiful red dress. It was the dress she had found yesterday, when she had gone shopping with Lois and she loved it.

"I thought I'd show you what I can really do. I thought, perhaps, dinner in Paris?"

"Yeah, okay? Wow, Clark this is amazing."

Chloe took out the dress and slipped into it. She held her hair out of the way as Clark zipped her up and tied the straps behind her neck.

"Perfect" said Clark.

She then gathered her hair in a ponytail, twisted it behind her head and fastened it in place with a spider clip. A few curls here and there were not caught in the clip, but that only added to the effect. Chloe completed the look with her new lipstick.

As she tried to put her lipstick back in her bag she fumbled and the content of the handbag spilled on the floor. Without thinking she replaced the lipstick, the pack of condoms, the phone, the lead box, the purse and the invitation to Lex and Lana's engagement party back in her relatively small black bag. She turned to Clark and he grinned. He picked her up easily, as though she was a doll an she placed her arms around his neck.

"Ready?" he asked her. But before she could say yes, Clark set off for Paris. Before Chloe could catch a full breath and really appreciate that Clark was running across an ocean they arrived in France. Clark set Chloe down at the base of the Eifel Tower and she looked up in wonder. She had never really appreciated how different Clark was and how amazing he could be.

It was 8:00pm in France so Clark took Chloe to a pleasant restaurant with a tremendous view of the capital. They ate quickly, both eager to continue the evening. Clark booked them the bridal suite of a particularly high class looking hotel and ordered a bottle of champagne on room service.

When they arrived at the room, their lips crashed together and they only broke for breath reluctantly when Chloe was in dire need of oxygen. Clark held Chloe close, deftly opening the door, pulling her through and closing the door behind them, pushing her back against the wood. Their mouths met again and tongues battled for dominance. Chloe had lost all coherent thought and she soon found herself lying down on the bed, Clark hovering above her. She decided to get her own back for earlier. She claimed a need for the bathroom, just as Clark went to undo her dress.

He frowned, but let her pass. She grabbed her purse and went to apply another layer of make-up.

Clark sat on the edge of the bed, waiting impatiently. There was a knock at the door and her went to answer it, glad that the champagne had not interrupted anything. He poured Chloe and himself a glass each and walked back to the bed. Then he saw the flash of white tucked under the bed. Curious, he picked up the paper and read:

You are cordially invited to the Engagement Dinner of

Mr. Alexander Luthor

and

Miss. Lana Lang

Clark was torn, he wanted Chloe, but he also wanted to crash the party, to see Lex's face. Perhaps he could do both, the night was young and Chloe might want to party. Of course, he had a little time, he and Chloe could have a little party of their own before they arrived. He looked to the bathroom and watched Chloe as she reapplied her lipstick and then she pulled out a perfume and spritzed herself.

Waiting for her to reappear, he rolled down the corner of the bed-sheets, and spread a few of the rose petals that had arrived with the room service. As he undid the top two buttons of his shirt, he heard the door of the bathroom open.

Chloe walked out with a slightly confused and disorientated look on her face. She looks to Clark, standing over a bed covered in rose petals, with two flutes of champagne. However, when his eyes meet hers, she recognises not the Clark Kent that she knew and loved from Smallville, but Kal, Clark's red-meteor-rock alter ego during his self-imposed exile. Her heart begins to beat faster, she doesn't know why Clark is here, in a hotel room with her, but she guessed it had something to do with red meteor rocks.

Chloe's changed demeanour alerted Clark that something must be wrong. When she walked up to him, she left a good foot of space between the pair.

"Clark, what's going on?" she asked

Clark closed the gap between the pair. "We're in Paris, the city of love. I thought we were celebrating, I mean you did seduce me…" He leaned closer, barely whispering. "Or at least I think you were seducing me, perhaps you wear black lingerie and stilettos all the time around the flat?"

Chloe flinched as she recalled a few images of herself posing in a mirror before Clark had arrived. She moved back, jerking as she attempted to remove herself from Kal's grip. "No, Clark, you're not yourself. We can't do this. Not here, not now, definitely not while you are like this."

"Like what Chloe?" said Kal, attempting to close the gap Chloe was creating between them.

"Clark, you're not yourself, you've been dosed with red-meteor-rock, which apparently you have me to thank for. We have to go back home now. I have to get ready for Lana's engagement dinner. I'm supposed to be head bridesmaid or some-such."

"Ah, of course, we should go and congratulate the happy couple. Do you think they will have enough room at the table for one more."

"No! You can't go Clark. Not while you're like this. You can't do that to Lana!"

"Ah but you know what they say. A party isn't a party until someone crashes it! Besides you can't show up alone. I'll just have to be your date for the night, seeing as you want to spoil these plans." said Kal gesturing around the room.


	4. Chapter 4

MF – meteor freakMFotW – meteor freak of the weekRMR – red meteor rock / red kryptoniteGMR – green meteor rock / green kryptonite MR – meteor rocks / kryptonite of undisclosed colour

PARTY

By the time they arrived at the party, Lex was standing to give a toast to Lana.

"Could I have everyone's attention, please? I just wanted to thank you all for joining us to celebrate. Over the years, I'm sure some of you have placed a few bets on whether I'd settle down. But, this couldn't be further from settling. I'd like to toast my beautiful fiancée for making me happier than I thought I could ever be." Lex looked lovingly at Lana.

The crashing entrance of Kal and Chloe interrupted the quiet.

"Looks like we missed dinner." said Kal.

"Clark, what are you doing here?" asked Lex, trying to contain his anger.

Clark moved around the table. "Come on, Lex. You didn't think I was gonna miss this, did you?" Clark turned towards Martha Kent. "And look. My own mother would rather raise a glass with the enemy than stand by her own son."

"Clark, stop this. Let's just leave, please. You don't want to do something you're gonna regret in the morning." said Chloe. She turned to Lana. "I'm so sorry Lana, I tried to stop him. I'm sorry…"

Kal gave her a withering stare. "Don't worry Chloe this will only take a minute," he interrupted.

There was a flash of recognition as Martha realised Clark had somehow been exposed to red-meteor-rock. She wondered, briefly, whether Chloe had slipped the stone on Clark and was now regretting her actions, but she quickly dismissed that idea. Chloe was not that stupid, she had experienced the drugged Clark far more than the rest of them and was fully aware of the risks. "Clark, you're not yourself," said Martha, trying to comfort and dissuade her wayward son.

"It's okay, Mom. You're more a Luthor than a Kent these days anyway. I mean, dad's been, what, dead a year? But who can blame you for joining the race with Lana to see who's gonna add the Luthor monogram to their name first?" Martha couldn't deny that the words hurt. Did Clark really think that she had forgotten his father, that she no longer loved him and that she was trying to replace him with Lionel?

Lex couldn't stand much more of this. Clark had gone far past the line. This was neither the time nor the place. He made a move towards Kal but Lana interrupted him.

"Lex, he's obviously on something, and he wants us to react. Please don't." Lex held off.

"You know, I got to hand it to you." said Clark as he approached Lana. "If you were gonna rebound, why not choose the one person that I hated the most? But, I mean, come on, Lana. The joke's over by now, isn't it?"

"Clark, I think you've done enough damage. Why don't you leave?" said Lex, trying to spare his fiancé from whatever Clark was about to say.

"I'm not done yet!" shouted Kal in an unfamiliar tone. "Besides, Lex, I haven't given you my gift yet."

Kal picked up Lex's glass of champagne from the table. "Congratulations on sealing the deal. To baby Luthor... the real reason that Lana's marrying you." he said as he threw a baby's rattle to Lex. He toasted his glass towards Lana, about to down it when he was tackled through the stack of champagne glasses to the side.

"Lex! How dare you?" spat Lana towards Kal.

"C'mon, Lana, if no one else in this room is gonna save you from Lex, then I will." said Kal as he grabbed Lana's arm as he pushed past Chloe.

"You're humiliating me in front of my friends." said Lana, angrily as Clark dragged her through the winding corridors of the Luthor mansion.

"Come on, Lana. You hardly know anyone at this party."

Lex ran after the pair down the corridor, mostly recovered from his trip through the champagne. "Lana! Lana!" he shouted after them.

Kal turned and faced Lex. "What you gonna do Lex?"

Lex pulls a gun out from behind his back. "I'll do what I have to, to protect what I love."

"Gotta say Lex, I'm impressed."

"Stay away from her Clark."

"Lex what are you doing. Please be rational…" screamed Lana.

Kal ignored her and took a step toward Lex, lifting the lapels of his jacket to bare his chest at Lex. "You don't want to do that. You can't win. You don't even know the rules of the game."

Lex hesitates. He still can't find it within himself to kill Clark. The hesitation was all Kal needed. He moved again, sidestepping the gun and pulling it out of Lex's hands. He tosses it out of the way and back down the corridor. Using his other hand, he grabs Lex by the throat and forces him against the wall.

"Clark, stop it!" shouted Lana, desperately as Lex gasped for his life. "Clark, you're killing him!"

Chloe emerged from somewhere and called to Clark to stop. He didn't listen to her either. "Clark, stop it! Clark! Kal!"

The use of the name he had used in Metropolis got his attention. He loosened his grip on Lex.

"You remembered Chloe. I'm touched. Now what exactly are you trying to accomplish. Did you want to pick up where we left off in Paris? You're not jealous of Lana are you, because I promise you sassy blondes are far superior to bitchy brunettes."

"Kal, you have to stop. You have to let Lex go. You'd never forgive yourself if you killed him. I know you."

"Chloe, Chloe, Chloe… Clark couldn't deal, me on the other hand, I couldn't care less about Lex."

"You and I know both know that's not true. Please… let him down."

Kal lets Lex drop to the ground coughing and spluttering as Lana runs to his side. Unable to leave without the final word Clark look to Lana. "You know Lana, you couldn't be with me because of secrets you thought I kept, but do you really think you know the real Lex Luthor. There are more skeletons in that closet than I could even fit on the farm."

Kal grabbed Chloe and exited the mansion, speeding in the direction of the Kent farm. Chloe broke out of Clark's loose grip and sank on the couch while Kal stood by the window.

"What's the matter Chloe, you practically jumped me earlier, and now you don't wanna know. Come on you can't fool me!"

"No, Clark, you aren't yourself. No matter what my feelings may be, I won't be a substitute for Lana until the meteor rock effects wear off. I.. I.." Chloe was on the verge of tears. She had thought that when Clark had taken Lana from the engagement dinner that he had finally proved his love for Lana beyond a doubt to the rest of the world, but a small, yet completely unrealistic, glimmer of hope won out for her. Perhaps it was about hurting Lex and that saving Lana was so ingrained in his being that it was like a second nature to him. Then again, fools in love made up the stupidest reasoning.

Kal moved towards Chloe and sits next to her. "But Chloe, haven't you been dreaming about this, about me, since high school? Haven't you lain in bed every night for years, just imagining all those nasty little things I could do, no, that I should do to your scorchingly hot body? I just don't see the problem. You want me and I want you." Kal seemed to be inching himself closer to Chloe all the time. He punctuated his last sentences with soft kisses to her neck and Chloe was having a hard time not giving in.

She stood again walking to the barn window. She looked out trying to collect her thoughts. Should she give in to temptation? She may never get another chance. Clark hadn't ever tried to get her attention, even though she was pretty sure he knew she loved him. That had to mean that Clark wasn't interested. But, that wouldn't explain why Kal was still with her, why he had left Lana and come with her instead. Perhaps he did feel something, but he repressed it. Guh, why did it have to be so complicated? Kal's arms were around her again. She had to be strong. She had to know Clark would still want her in the morning, it would be too much to have him apologise again, for leading her on again. She had made her mind up, she was going to turn around and tell Kal she was leaving. Any minute she would turn around and remove his comfortable arms from her waist and his lean away from the soft kisses that had resumed on her neck.

Martha returned to the farm. She saw Clark standing in the window of the barn, arms wrapped securely around Chloe as he kissed her. Chloe seemed to be a million miles away, deep in thought and a million miles away from her son. Martha saw her opportunity. She had to stop the effects of the red-meteor-rock while she had the chance, before he had the chance to do something stupid. She found the green-meteor-rock discarded outside the barn. She picked it up and hoped her son would forgive her for this later. She approached Clark, while he was still distracted by Chloe. As she got closer, he began to feel the effects. He abruptly stopped what he was doing, turning to face his mother. He doubled over in pain, unable to say anything, but the betrayal was all too easy to read in his eyes. Chloe looked at Martha, searching for a reason.

"I'm sorry," said Martha, looking at Chloe, but really she was talking to Clark. "It's the only way, he has to sweat the effects of the rocks out of his system. This is the only way to do that."

There was a pregnant pause. "Chloe, what happened, how did Clark get infected?"

Chloe wasn't sure what to say, not really. "It was my fault."

"What! Chloe how could you? You know how dangerous Clark gets when he gets exposed to the red-meteor-rocks."

"I'm sorry. There was a woman at the Talon. She was selling these lipsticks, red of course. I guess the colour was from powdered meteor-rocks. I was infected and I think I came on to Clark, which would explain it, but my memory is a little hazy."

"Chloe, I'm sorry, it wasn't your fault. Clark is going to need a little while to recover, would you help me get him onto the couch."

Martha and Chloe manoeuvred Clark onto the couch and Chloe sat on the edge, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief she had found in one of the drawers.

"Chloe, will you be alright here, I'm just going to the house for a moment."

"Sure, Mrs Kent."

"Would you like me to get you a drink?"

"Yes, please. A cup of coffee would be great, thanks."

"Okay. I won't be long."

Chloe sat with Clark until morning broke over the horizon. She dropped off to sleep, resting her head on Clarks chest. She was too tired to care about how it would look to him or to Mrs Kent or anyone else for that matter.

When she woke up Clark was looking down at her. He had obviously been awake for a while.

"Morning," he said.

"Erm, morning Clark?"

"Yeah, it's me," he said catching the questioning tone. "Look, I'm sorry… about everything. I should never have…" Clark couldn't seem to be able to find the words to apologise. Truth be told, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"Clark, before you go beating yourself up for what happened, I think it is important to establish that you were not responsible for this. I seem to remember that I was the one who seduced you. I was the one who infected you and I think that means that I get to share some of the blame. I mean come on, who buys lipstick in a coffee shop. You would think that my reporter's instincts would have been set off at some point."

"Chloe, you can't take all the responsibility either. Just so you know, if you hadn't kissed me, I think I was seconds away from kissing you first. You made it very hard… erm difficult for me to resist you."

"Sorry about that. Can I plead meteor-infection and get off with a warning or something?"

"I don't think so Chloe."

"What!" she exclaimed. "Why not?"

"Because, while under the influence of the red-meteor-rock, inhibitions are broken and feelings are amplified, but they have to be there to begin with."

"What are you saying Clark?" Chloe thought she knew. She hoped she did, that she hadn't imagined his feelings, but she needed him to say it.

"I… What I mean is… I think we should go out … together … for coffee, or you know something else might be better."

"You mean like a date?"

"Yeah, I mean it's cool, if you don't want to. I just thought, well, I had the impression that…"

"Clark, stop babbling. I would love to! But please, can we stay away from the Talon for a while. I think it might be a good idea to take a little longer this time."

Chloe broke into a wide grin and Clark followed. They sat together for a long while, basking in their own personal bliss. They both knew they had a lot of apologising to do to Lana (and Lex too) for what they had done last night. But that could wait. A least until after breakfast.


End file.
